Trip device having automatic conductor and terminal gaging characteristics for terminal applying press



L. L. Jo-NEs Feb. 3, 1970' TRIP DEVICE HAVING AUTOMATIC CONDUCTOR AND TERMINAL CHARACTERISTIC GAGING S FOR TERMINAL APPLYING PRESS Filed Oct. 16, 1.964

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ATTORNEYS Feb. 3, 1970 L. L. JONES 3,492,846 TRIP DEVICE HAVING AuTomATI-c CONDUCTOR AND TERMINAL GAGING CHARACTERISTICS FOR TERMINAL APPLYING PRESS Filed 001;. 16, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 4| 37 '12 38--- I: 34 59 43 f 42 58 I I 54 .i- 35 IE III III? .II al z /so 4o I" 2|) 5329} I I? 37 I Ef I/ I l f lp 9H n 36 Lfl/ 27} U 30 (J 3| 5G as I 28R III III [III I I INVENTOR BYfi/fij w -AT ORNEYS.

United States Patent Int. Cl. B21b 37/00 US. Cl. 72-15 13 Claims This invention relates to terminal applicators and more particularly to a terminal applicator having a trip device to be actuated by the wire to which the terminal is to be applied.

Terminal applicators for applying terminals such as spade lugs to the ends of electrical conductors are well known. Characteristically, such applicators employ a combination of a reciprocating arm and a relatively fixed bed in a press type of apparatus.

Numerous forms of trigger devices have been employed to operate machines such as terminal applicators. These prior trigger devices exhibit certain disadvantages and have not been entirely satisfactory. Some triggers are operated by the body capacity of the operator, they can thus be actuated regardless of the position of the wire relative to the terminal which is to be applied. Other trigger devices are actuated by contact with the bare wire to which a terminal is to be applied, they function to set off the operation even though wire strands may be frayed or bent or even if inadequate strands project from the insulation to make good mechanical and electrical connections with the spade lug.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved combination of terminal applicator and trip devices.

Another object of this invention is to provide a trip device which is capable of being actuated by light mechanical contact and which has a target the movement of which is necessary to efiect tripping of the mechanism being controlled and can be precisely adjusted over a wide range and down to an amount practically imperceptible to the eye. More particularly, it is sought to provide such a device in which the target is protectively shrouded to minimize inadvertent tripping and to, prevent tripping by wire ends outside a predetermined gathering area.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an improved trip device for a terminal applicator, which trip device is capable of being actuated by the end of a wire to which a terminal is to be applied.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a trip device for a terminal applicator which will be actuated only if the wire strands are in a position to engage the terminal.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a trip device for a terminal applicator which can be simply and easily installed in existing terminal applicators without the necessity for modifying the applicator.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a terminal applicator with a trip device having a relatively low inertia such that the device may be actuated by the ends of small wires but will not be actuated if the wires are frayed.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a terminal actuator with a trip device which assures the positive positioning of the wire conductors relative to the terminal.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a trip device for a terminal actuator which device does not need to be reset and which permits rapid operation of the terminal applicator.

Briefly in accordance with aspects of this invention, I mount a trip device on the bed of a terminal applicator Patented Feb. 3, 1970 in a position intermediate the die portion and the retracted anvil mounted crimper. The trip device includes a lever assembly, with a target mounted on one end and positioned behind the crimper. When the end of the Wire to be terminalled engages and is pushed axially against the target of the trip device a relatively short distance, such as the order of .002 of an inch, the micro-switch which cooperates with the lever arm will be actuated to cause the applicator to apply a terminal to the bare end of the wire.

Another feature of this invention relates to the lever actuated micro-switch employed as a trigger device in which the travel of the lever .may be closely controlled and the travel required is relatively small. For example, the travel of one illustrative example is of the order of .002 of an inch. Advantageously, the position of the switch actuating arm may be controlled relative to the position of the switch actuating lever such that the travel prior to switch actuation of the lever may be closely controlled. For example, the micro-switch may be operated by a travel of the switch arm of the order of .0005 of an inch. By adjusting the relative position of the switch arm and the switch actuating lever, the amount of travel of the lever prior to switch actuation can be closely controlled.

These and various other objects and features of the invention will be more clearly understood from the reading of the detailed description of a preferred embodiment of this invention in conjunction with the drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of the trip device including portions of the terminal applicator;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are front and rear perspective views, respectively, of the sensing device;

FIG. 4 is a plan view, partly in section, taken along the lines 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the sensing device of FIG. 4 taken from the right-hand side, as viewed in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view, partly in section, taken along the lines 66 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view partly broken away.

Referring now to the drawing, FIG. 1 is a view in perspective showing portions of the terminal applicator including a reciprocating arm or ram 10 having a crimper 12 mounted thereon and a bed 14 with an anvil 16 there? on positioned in the path of the crimper 12 and supporting a work piece 17 which in the illustrated adaptation of the invention is a spade lug type terminal to be crimped on a work element in the form of a wire 22. The terminal applying machine and the shape of the crimper 12, particularly of the inverted U shaped notch 13 thereof, may be substantially the same as in the United States Patent 2,705,797.

In accordance with this invention, a sensing device 18 is electrically connected to control an electrically actuated drive mechanism 19 which drive mechanism is mechanically coupled to reciprocating arm 10 in driving relationship. The drive mechanism could be of the type disclosed in the above patent in which a solenoid controlled valve is employed to control the air flow to the ram driving pneumatic cylinder. The sensing device 18 is mounted on the bed 14 and includes a lever arm assembly 20 extending across the bed 14 between the arm 10 and the bed 14 and behind the plane containing the crimper 12 and the anvil 16. The bed 14 and the reciprocating arm 10 are mounted on a suitable rugged casting, not stown, and form portions of a press, similar to that of the above-mentioned patent. As shown in FIG. 1, a work element or wire 22 is manually supported by a hand 23 of the operator in a position substantially perpendicular to vertical surface 31 on gage bar 21 of the lever assembly 20. The wire 22 has a skinned or bare terminal portion 24 which is shown 3 ositioned in the gathering zone located in the travel path of tapered mouth 33 leading into the notch 13 between the forks of the crimper 12. The gathering zone is that locus within which the wire end 24 must be positioned when the ram descends in order for the wire to be guided into the crimper slot 13 and properly moved into the desired relationship with the channel shaped cradle of the terminal. With this positional relationship, the drive mechanism 19 for reciprocating the arm 10 is actuated to force the crimper down onto the bare end 24 of the wire 22 and the latter into the open channel shaped end of a spade lug 17 on the anvil 16. The triggering of the electrical circuit which energizes the drive mechanism is accomplished by the operator moving the wire 24 axially against target portion 25 of arm 26 of the lever arm assembly 20. This assembly is mounted on a bracket member 28 by means of a pair of cap screws 20, 30 received through the main member or gage bar 21 of the assembly. A stripper bar 27 is mounted on the horizontal bottom surface of the gage bar 21 by suitable means such as screws, not shown; it is spaced above top horizontal surface 15 of the machine bed 14 so that the strip of spade lugs advancing to the anvil 16 pass under the bar 27 which is transverse to their path. After the crimping operation and during the return or upstroke of the ram 10 and the crimper 12, the stripper bar 27 engages the spade lug or terminal 17 and thus withdraws the latter and the wire tip 24 embraced by the terminal from the crimping notch 13. The stripper 27 also protects the target 25 during the operation of the apparatus. As shown in FIG. 3, the bracket 28 has an elongated slot 52 therein through which bolts are inserted for the purpose of mounting the bracket 28 on the bed 14. The purpose of the elongated slot 52 is to permit relative adjustment in a horizontal plane. The sensing device is so positioned on the bed 14 that the gage bar 21 extends horizontally beneath the ram 10 and between the crimper tool 12 and a cut-olf blade 11 which is also carried by the ram. As the crimping operation is completed, the blade severs the leading terminal from the end of the chain. When the blade is retracted by the upward recovery movement of the ram, the mechanism automatically advances the chain of terminals endwise by an amount just sufficient to position the cradle portion of the next leading terminal on the anvil 16. In stepwise fashion, the chain of terminals is thus advanced to the operating station below the gathering zone.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are views in perspective of the sensing device 18 to an enlarged scale relative to FIG. 1. An upright switch support plate 34 is mounted on the bracket member 28 by means of cap screws 35, 36 received thnough a horizontal spacing block 32. A micro-switch 38 fast on a plate 37 is pivotably mounted on the support plate 34 by means of a recessed head screw 39 free in the plate 34 and threaded into the plate 37. When the micro-switch 38 is actuated, it energizes the operating driving mechanism 19, which in turn, reciprocates the arm 10 to move the crimper 12 downwardly such that its inverted U shaped surface 13- centrally positions the bare conductor 24 and places the conductor within the channel of the spade lug 17. The cooperation of the anvil or die portion 16 and the crimper 12 then closes the channel portion of the spade lug around the bare wire end 24 in a manner well known in the art. The plate 37 and the switch 38 as a unit may be locked in any one of a variety of relative angular positions on the plate 34 by tightening the screw 39. Adjustment of the angular position of the plate 37 and the switch 38 carried thereby relative to the lever arm assembly 20 is effected by screws 40, 41 carried by plate 37 in opposed relation. Engaged between these screws is a suitable anchor pin 42 secured in the adjusting plate 34 and projecting through a slot 43 in the plate 37. The angular adjustment varies the pre-loading of the spring in the switch 38 which resists closing of the 4 switch contacts and the amount of travel of the lever 26 required to actuate the switch 38 in a manner which will be subsequently described.

The target portion 25 on the end of the lever distal from the pivot pin 50 is positioned in a complementally shaped window 49 in the gage bar 21, the opposite end of the lever 26 extends beyond the pivot pin and projects into a notch 48 in the gage bar 21 of the lever arm assembly 20. The lever arm 26 is adjusted so that the fiat front face of the target portion 25 is coplaner with the face 31 of the gage bar 21. A wire end engaged against the gage bar by the operator, instead of against the target portion, is thus easily shifted laterally into the gathering zone beneath the crimper 12. In order to eliminate triggering of the electrical circuit and cycling of the drive mechanism except when the wire end 24 is properly with in the gathering zone, the profile of the target portion 25 and of the window 49 in which it is positioned corresponds substantially to and falls within the horizontal projection of the gathering zone in a plane normal to the travel path of the chain of the terminals 17. The lever arm 26 lies in a substantially rectangular slot 49 in the rear surface of the gage bar 21, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. A vertical pivot pin 50 is mouted in the gage bar 21 and extends through the tongue portion of the arm 26 so that the arm pivots about the pin. Advantageously, the rear surface of the target portion 25 is recessed so that the arm has a relatively small moment of inertia such that it can be pivoted about its pivot .pin 50 by the application of a very light force through the wire 24.

A plate 54 is mounted on the rear surface of the gage bar 21 by means of a pair of screws 55, 56 and has a transversely extending notch 57 on the surface thereof opposing the level arm 26 such that the lever arm 26 may enter the notch 57. A lever arm travel-limiting screw 58 is threadably mounted in the plate 54 and is provided with a locking nut 59; rotation of the screw 58 as by a suitable tool inserted in its hexagonally recessed head 60 causes the screw to change its position relative to the plate 54 to thus either limit or extend the available travel of the arm 26. By limiting the travel of the lever arm 26 through the use of the screw it is possible to closely control the permitted axial movement of the wire 22 to actuate the switch 38 after the wire initially engages and commences to move the lever arm. Because the adjustment can be such that only a very small travel of the target portion 25 is required for the lever arm 26 to operate the micro-switch 38, the bare end 24 of the wire 22 cannot move from a position in which it will engage a spade lug supported on the anvil. Further, because of this limited travel, the ends of the wire 22 cannot be pinned between the target 25 or the bar 27 and the crimper 12. In FIG. 4, the lever arm 26 is shown in displaced position, shifted to its limit of movement against the adjusting screw 58 as by a force represented by arrow 62 such as produced by the endwise thrust of the hand held wire 22 of FLIG. 1. The displacement shown in FIG. 4 is exaggerated for purpose of illustration, the adjustment preferably being such that the target 25 moves only a few thousandths of an inch between its normal open switch position flush with the frontal surface 31 of the gage member 21 and its displaced closed switch position corresponding to FIG. 4. Although the bare end 24 of the wire work element 22 can be moved into the gathering area from any direction, a thrust normal to the plane of the target 25 and of the frontal surface 31 is required to actuate the switch. Such thrust direction, as indicated by the arrow 62, is fixed and predetermined; that is, it is parallel to the path of the work pieces 17 advancing to the work station on the anvil 16.

The micro-switch 38 includes a spring biased switch plunger 64 positioned in the path of the lever arm 26 such that the switch plunger 64 will move axially in a substantially horizontal plane when it is engaged by the lever arm 26. By releasing the threaded pivot screw 39 and adjusting the screws 40., 41, the angular position of the micro-switch 38 relative to the plate 34 is modified. This pivotal movement advances or retracts the switch plunger 64 relatively toward or away from the lever arm 26. Accordingly, it is possible to control the amount of the stroke of the lever 26 required to actuate the switch plunger 64. Preferably, the adjustment of the screws 40, 41 is such that a relatively short movement of the switch plunger such as of the order of as little as .0005 of an inch is all that is necessary to actuate the switch plunger 64. A somewhat greater movement of the target portion 25 of the lever arm is required since, in order to achieve the desired mechanical advantage and sensitivity, it is located much farther from the pivot 50 than is the switch plunger; in the embodiment illustrated the length of the lever arm of the target 25 is about four times the distance from the pin 50 to the switch plunger 64, giving a 4-1 mechanical advantage and requiring endwise travel of the wire 22 with its end in contact with the target equivalent to four times the movement of the switch plunger necessary for switch actuation, or about .002 inch in the case of an adjustment wherein the switch plunger 64 requires only .0005 inch travel as mentioned above.

Because only a slight axial movement of the wire 22 is required to actuate the switch after the wire engages the target 25, the switch may be actuated quickly a number of times in succession by a group of wires held fanwise by theoperator and successively presented to the target portion 25. When the bare wire portion 24 is in position to engage and actuate the target portion 25, the wire is also in position to be engaged by the crimper 12 and gathered into the slot 13 and carried into the channel portion of the spade lug 17. Thus, the device will always be actuated instantly by the positioning of a wire to receive a spade lug or terminal and engaging the wire endwise I against the target with the predetermined suflicient force to overcome the resistance of the switch spring. Further, because axial movement of the wire is required to actuate the lever arm 26, to overcome the inertia of the arm and the target 25 and to overcome the spring bias of the plunger 64, a wire in which the conductors are frayed or missing will not provide a force adequate to actuate the switch. Accordingly, no terminal will be applied unless the wire conductors are in proper condition to receive it. Still further, because the end of the wire is employed to actuate the switch, the operator can concentrate on holding and fanning out a number of conductors, such as the conductors of a cable, and successively present the ends of the conductors to the target 25. In this way, the conductors themselves, each constituting a part of a large hand held group, function to operate the micro-switch 38 and trigger the drive mechanism.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of this invention, it is understood that the concepts thereof can be employed in other embodiments without departing from its spirit and scope.

What is claimed is:-

1. In a terminal applicator, the combination comprismg:

a crimper for crimping a terminal onto the end of a conductor having an inverted U shaped crimping surface;

means for reciprocating said crimper;

a gage member positioned adjacent the path of said crimper and having an aperture therein;

anvil means positioned in the path of said crimper for supporting a terminal in the path of said crimping surface; and

a sensing device including:

a conductor target means positioned adjacent the path of reciprocation of said crimper, between said crimper and said anvil means and within said gage member aperture,

a lever coupled to said target means, means pivotably mounting said lever, and switch means cooperating with said lever for actuating said crimper reciprocating means.

2. The combination according to claim 1 further comprising travel limiting means for limiting the travel of said lever.

3. The combination according to claim 1 including means for adjusting the position of said switch means relative to said lever to determine the amount of travel of said lever required to actuate said switch means.

4. In a terminal applicator for applying a terminal to a conductor when said conductor is moved into a gathering zone, the combination comprising:

reciprocating ram means including an electrical actuator;

a crimper including a substantially U shaped surface mounted on said ram with the U shaped surface in an inverted position and facing said gathering zone;

anvil means positioned in the path of said U shaped surface for supporting a terminal;

gage means defining an aperture; and

a sensing device coupled to said actuator for controling the reciprocation of said ram means including:

target means including a member positioned within said aperture and facing said gathering zone, a lever connected to said member and means pivotably mounting said lever, and

switch means connected to said actuator to control the actuation of said reciprocating ram means, said switch means including a switch plunger positioned to be actuated by the movement of said lever.

5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein said anvil means includes a bed and wherein said sensing device is mounted on said bed with said lever supporting said target means in a position above said anvil means and behind said crimper.

6. In a terminal applicator, the combination comprising:

anvil means for supporting a terminal;

a crimper for Crimping said terminal onto the end of a conductor;

means for producing relative motion between said crimper and said anvil means to bring said crimper and said anvil means into a position of said cooperatron;

a gage bar adjustably mounted on said applicator and having an aperture therein; and

a sensing device for actuating said last mentioned means said sensing device including:

a pivotably mounted lever;

a target coupled to said lever and positioned in said aperture adjacent said crimper,

switch means actuated by the movement of said target relative to said crimper.

7. The combination according to claim 6 wherein said crimper has an inverted U shaped surface directed toward said anvil means for engaging the end of a conductor and wherein said target has a larger surface area than the area of said U shaped opening.

8. The combination according to claim 6 further including switch position adjusting means for adjusting the position of said switch means to thereby control the amount of travel required by said target to actuate said switch means.

9. A trip mechanism for controlling the operation of a machine comprising:

a switch operatively connected to said machine and including a switch contact actuating button;

a gage bar mounted on said machine and having a window therein;

a lever assembly including a pivotably mounted lever having a target positioned in said window to be engaged by a workpiece;

means mounting said lever assembly with said target 7 substantially perpendicular to the working path of the workpiece; and

means mounting said switch with said contact button in the path of said lever.

10. The combination according to clam 9 wherein said lever assembly includes means for limiting the travel of said lever.

11. The combination according to claim 9 wherein said switch mounting means includes means for adjusting the position of said button relative to said lever.

12. In a machine of the type that operates on work pieces advanced over a predetermined path to a work station and on work elements advanced variously to a gathering zone adjacent said station, and that has power actuated means adapted to perform an operation joining an advanced work element to an advanced work piece, a sensing device mounted on the machine and including:

means adapted to be attached to the machine for mounting the device thereon in fixed relation;

a gage member disposed adjacent said station, said gage member being secured to the mounting means and having a generally flat frontal surface substantially normal to said path, a window in the gage member in alignment with the gathering zone and an advanced work element;

a target disposed in the window and means movably supporting the target on the mounting means, the target being engageable by a work element in the gathering zone;

an electric switch supported on the mounting means and connected to control said power actuated means; and

means providing an operative connection between the target and the switch and adapted to actuate the switch upon predetermined movement of the target, the target being moveable under thrusting forces having components acting along lines paralleling the work piece path imposed thereon by advanced work elements and the switch being electrically connected to the power actuated means to control the latter. 13. In a machine of the type that operates on Work elements advanced variously to a gathering zone adjacent a work station and that has power actuated means adapted to perform an operation on an advanced work element, a sensing device mounted on the machine and including:

means adapted to be attached to the machine for mounting the sensing device thereon in fixed relation;

a gage member disposed adjacent said station, said gage member being secured to the mounting means and having a generally flat frontal surface facing said zone, a window in the gage member in alignment with the gathering ZOne and an advanced work element;

a target disposed in the window and means movably supporting the target on the mounting means, the target being engageable by a work element in the gathering zone;

an electric switch supported on the mounting means and connected to control said power actuated means; and

means providing an operative connection between the target and the switch and adapted to actuate the switch upon predetermined movement of the target, and target being moveable under thrusting forces having components acting along lines normal to said target imposed thereon and the switch being electrically connected to the power actuated means to control the latter.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,514,507 7/1950 Mueller 72l5 2,995,171 8/1961 H'ziusler 7215 3,165,139 l/1965 Whitney 29203 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner R. D. GREFE, Assistant Examiner 

1. IN A TERMINAL APPLICATOR, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: A CIRMPER FOR CRIMPING A TERMINAL ONTO THE END OF A CONDUCTOR HAVING AN INVERTED U SHAPE CRIMING SURFACE; MEANS FOR RECIPROCATING SAID CRIMPER; A GAGE MEMBER POSITIONED ADJACENT THE PATH OF SAID CRIMPER AND HAVING AN APERTURE THEREIN; ANVIL MEANS POSITIONED IN THE PATH OF SAID CRIMPER FOR SUPPORTING A TERMINAL IN THE PATH OF SAID CRIMPING SURFACE; AND 